Garment hangers



Marh 26, 1957 E. M. EMMERLING 2,786,618

GARMENT HANGERS Filed Sept. 9, 1954 Figi.

lnven tov; Edward M. Emmerng,

13,5 His Attojnergs United States Patent() GARMENT HANGERS EdwardM. Emmerling,-Albany, N. Y. Application September 9, v1954Serial No. 455,003

3 Claims. (Cl. '223''98) This invention relates to an improvement for 4garment hangers made of a single -strandof wire formed into ka garment supporting section and having a trouser supporting section. More specifically, it has to-do with an article of manufacture to be attached to the trouser supporting section to prevent creases therein and firmly to hold the same in position, without danger of the article being stripped or pulled off the hanger when the garment, and .particularlythe trousers, are removed therefrom, and t-he provision of such an article is the principal object of the invention.

Various types of paper or other articles, such as socalled guards, shields or protectors, heretofore have been suggested `for such purposes, -but they are either too cumbersome or expensive, or do not provide a positive, simple interlocking means to insure against their removal from the yhanger so that the purpose thereof always v'is accomplished in a positive manner. Furthermore, when such articles do become dislodged when removing Vthe garment or trousers, or otherwise, it becomes a nuisance to lit them-back into position on the trouser section of the hanger, or they are discarded altogether and consequently do not serve their intended purpose.

It has long been recognized in the garment industry that it would be a distinct improvement to overcome the foregoing, as well as associated, difficulties and disadvantages, and this has now been accomplished by means of the present invention.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide an article of manufacture for use on the trouser supporting section of a wire garment hanger composed of a first member that includes a trouser supporting bridge portion with curved portions extending therefrom and forming tubes in longitudinal abutting relation, frictionally to allow the hanger section to pass therebetween when assembling the same to underlie and support the bridge portion, but in spaced relation thereto, and a second member constituting an interlock, slidably mountable beneath the hanger section and frictionally engageable therewith, and with and between the bridge portion and tubes, but removably to lock such article in position on the hanger.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a wire type of garment hanger having an article embodied by the invention interlockingly secured thereto;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating such an article 2,786,618 Patented Mar. 26, 1957 2 consisting of a garment or trouser supporting member and a locking strip before assembly;

Fig. 3 is la perspective view, with parts broken away and in section, lillustrating an interlocking means either being inserted or removed from the trouser holding member after the latter has been applied to the trouser supporting section of the hanger; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view, vsomewhat enlarged, taken through the trouser -supporting section after the same has been assembled on the hanger.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is indicated generally at 10 a preferred form of the'invention ,applied to a conventional .type of wire garment hanger indicated generally at 11 of the kind made from -a single strand of wire bent and twisted to provide a garment supporting section `12,-a trouser supporting section 13 and a supporting hook 14.

The article embodied by the invention is preferably made of some suitable resilient material, such as, lfor example, paper. When made of paper the same preferably isffirst cut into two rectangularly shaped blank lmembers of 'similar lengthrbut of vdifferent widths. The first member is then provided with kerfs, that is, slits terminating in openings as indicated at 15 at its opposite ends along its longitudinal axis. This member is then rolled, preferably by passing the same through a form of wringer provided for the purpose, to form the lmember into a trouser supporting bridge portion 16 which is suitably curved and of appreciable Width, and having curved portions extendingtherefrom to form tubes 17 in longitudinal abutting relation a's indicated at '18, but in spaced relation to the bridge portion as indicated at 19. This first member constitutes the trouser supporting .portion and is applied to the hanger-preferably byfholding the ,same in one hand, grasping the garment supporting portion of the hanger around the base of the hook portion where it joins the latter and positioning the trouser supporting section 13 between the abutting tubes which, because of the resilient nature ofthe material, will frictionally engage the section 13 momentarily and allow the same to pass therebetween and between the bridge portion 15, whereupon the tubes again resume their abutting position. By turning the hanger through the material around the kerfs i5 will momentarily be'deliected, but permit the hanger to become seated therein and to be gripped thereby.

In order to prevent the trouser supporting portion from becoming dislodged from the hanger during use, I provide a second but narrower interlock in the form of a blank which has been curved or pressed in a manner such that, in cross-section, or when viewed from either end, it is Eshaped as indicated at 20. That is to say, the interlocking member is made so as to provide two spaced-apart portions having cylindrical surfaces 21 with parallel axes. A third cylindrical portion is curved or pressed in an opposite direction to provide a cylindrical surface 22 merged with the cylindrical portions or surfaces 21 After the trouser supporting portion has been applied to the hanger as above described, the interlocking means is inserted between the tubular portions 17 and the bridge portion 16 thereof in a manner such that the merged cylindrical surface 22 frictionally engages the bottom of the Wire trouser supporting section 13, and overlying the tubes where they are in abutting relation interlockingly securing the entire assembly in position.

The article embodying the present invention When applied to such a conventional type of wire hanger provides a bridge portion of appreciable width of an area that frictionally engages a substantial portion of the trousers when supported thereon so that they will not readily slide from such position when hanging in a wardrobe or when-handled. However, by a slight pull or manual manipulation, the trousers g can readily be removed. Furthermore, no transverse crease will form in the trousers, and of primary importance is the fact that the article cannot be removed from the hanger until the locking strip is removed so that there is no danger that the same will accidentally be dislodged to preventthe article from functioning for the purposes for which it was intended.

Since certain changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that' all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted 'as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and speciiic features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might besaid to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An article of manufacture for use on the trouser supporting section of a conventional wire garment hanger, comprising a first member constituting a trouser supporting bridge portion, and resilient curved portions extending therefrom and forming radially yieldable tubes in longitudinal abutting relation, frictionally to permit said supporting section to pass therebetween to underlie and support said bridge portion, said tubes being entirely in spaced relation to said bridge portion; and a second member constituting an interlock, slidably mountable beneath said supporting section and frictionally engageable therewith, and with and between said bridge portion and tubes, to lock said article in position on said hanger.

2. An article of manufacture for use on the trouser supporting section of a conventional wire garment hanger, comprising a rst member constituting a trouser supporting bridge portion, and resilient curved portions extending therefrom and forming radially yieldable tubes in longitudinal abutting relation, frictionally to permit said supporting section to pass therebetween to underlie and support said bridge portion, said tubes being entirely in spaced relation to said bridge portion; and an interlocking member having two spaced apart cylindrical surfaces having parallel axes, and a third cylindrical surface merged therewith, slidably mountable beneath said supporting section with said third cylindrical surface frictionally engageable therewith, and with said spaced apart cylindrical surfaces frictionally engageable with and between said bridge portion and tubes, to lock said article in position on said hanger.

3. An article of manufacture for use on the trouser supporting section of a conventional wire garment hanger, comprising a rst member constituting a trouser supporting bridge portion, and curved portions extending therefrom and forming tubes in longitudinal abutting relation, frictionally to permit said supporting section to pass therebetween to underlie and support said bridge portion, said tubes being in spaced relation to said bridge portion; and a second member consisting of an elongated interlock that is substantially E-shaped in cross-section, with the central, longitudinal portion thereof frictional engageable with said supporting section, and the lateral portions thereof frictionally engageable with and between said bridge portion and tubes, whereby to lock said article in position on said hanger.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,089,077 Todd et al Aug. 3, 1937 2,510,043 Tillery May 30, 1950 2,510,044 Tillery May 30, 1950 2,641,391 Tillery June 9, 1953 

